Beach towel stake



June 2, 1959 J. R. TURBEVILLE 2,889,129

BEACH TOWEL STAKE Filed Nov. 1, 1954 INVENTOR. JAMES R. TURBEVILLE ATTORNEY United States 2,889,129 Patented June 2, 1959 fiice BEACH TOWEL STAKE James R. Turbeville, Savannah, Ga. Application November 1, 1954, Serial No. 466,103

4 Claims. (Cl. 248--361) It is a common experience with campers, picnickers and bathers to find difiiculty in retaining a beach towel, ground cloth, blanket or the like in smooth unrumpled relation to the ground. This is particularly true of beach towels which are subject not only to winds which may blow the towel from its selected location, but the towel may be frequently stepped on or tripped over and thus disarranged. While devices have heretofore been suggested for the retention for cloths of the type discussed, such devices have usually been of a make-shift variety and have not been wholly satisfactory. Thus weights, such as stones and rocks, have been placed on the edges of beach towels, ground cloths and blankets but such obviously incumber the comfortable use of these devices. Stakes have also been employed either driven through the blanket or cloth or to which the edges of the cloth have been tied. Obviously, the cloth is damaged by driving the stake therethrough or by the attachment of strings or ropes.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple improved means for retaining ground cloths, blankets, beach towels and like devices against accidental displacement.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be simple in construction, rugged and durable in use, economical to manufacture, and readily transportable for frequent and repeated uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be readily inserted into the ground without the use of special tools or undue strength or agility and which may be readily removed and stored for subsequent use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character described, novel and improved towel securing means by which the towel or equivalent cloth may be readily attached and as readily detached from the securing means without the aid of separate securing means and/or without particular skill by the user.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the stake shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a detail showing the cloth securing means preferably used in conjunction with the stake of Fig. 1 and forming part of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the stake with the securing means attached and both elements operatively engaging and securing the edge of a beach towel.

While certain aspects of the present inventive concept may be employed in a wide variety of structural details, and while modification of the structure may occur to those skilled in the art to lend the device to various types of uses, the invention as here presented by way of illustration may be generally defined as a light thin stake, peg or post having a readily insertable ground engaging shank with a rounded or pointed end and an opposite headed end together with means preferably elastic, for detachably securing a beach towel or the like to said headed end and against accidental displacement.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the stake of the present invention is here disclosed as comprising an elongated, preferably flat, member having a shank 10 of diminishing width towards its bottom to form a sharpened or rounded end 11 to facilitate insertion of the stake with minimum effort, into the ground or sand. While the dimensions of the device are of no patentable significance, the stake here shown may be about 4 or 5 inches in length and approximately one inch in width. The thickness may be approximately a quarter of an inch. While material to be used is also of no patentable significance, it may be noted that while such pegs may be formed of wood, more durable material such as steel, a lighter weight material such as aluminum or plastic may be preferable.

The upper end of the stake is provided with an enlarged head 12, the rear side 13 of which is here shown as conforming with the rear straight wall of the shank 10 and is provided with a recess 14 opening into a rounded opening 15 substantially below the top 16 of the head. The opposite side of head 12 is extended beyond the front wall 17 of the shank 10 of the stake. This extended portion has an inwardly concave recess 18 generally in line with the recess 14. Such recess thus provides shoulders 19 and 20 below and above recess 18, respectively. In the present preferred form of the invention, the top 16 of the head 12 and the front faces of the shoulder 20 adjacent recess 18 are knurled so as to provide frictional grip to assist in securing a towel or the like to the stake. It is also preferable to provide an aperture 22 centrally of the stake head near the upper end to permit the peg to be hung up or strung on a carrying member, such as a loop of Wire or string, when not in use.

For securing a towel or the like to the stake, there is provided an annular, flexible and preferably elastic member indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings and designated by the number 25. Member 25 may preferably be made of rubber or neoprene or like elastic material, although the invention embraces the use of a flexible tie string, if desired. Member 25 may be provided with a pair of collars 26, it being understood that the portion 27 of the member 25 between the collars 26 is to be inserted through the recess 14 and into the opening 15 while the collars retain the member 25 against rotary movement with respect to the head. The body of the member 25 may be circular in cross-section or flat in conformity to the general cross-sectional characteristics of the head of the stake, and the forward end is preferably provided with a lip 28 acting as a convenient grasping means for manipulating the member so as to bring it into alignment with recess 18.

In use with a towel 29 in a desirable horizontal position, the stake is inserted in the ground at the edge thereof and the towel border is brought over the top 21 of the head confronting the recess 18 and engaging the face 20. Member 25 is then moved over to encompass that portion of the towel which is engaged with the head and is released to spring inwardly into recess 18 to flexibly, resiliently and firmly but yieldably secure the blanket to the stake. The annular shape of resilient member 25 enables it to straddle the edge of the cloth just prior to being stretched over the stake, thus obviating the necessity of spreading the'sides of'the member 25 apart by hand or Otherwise. 7

It will of course be noted that the slender construction of the stake provides for the easy insertion thereof into the ground adjacent the towel edge and that such insertioninsures a yieldable retention of the blanket. As indicated above, while the member 25 provides a con venient means for releasablysecuring the towel or the like, the same may be secured by a tie string, in which case while the securement of the towel to the stake is less yieldable, the contour of the stake is such as to permit it to yield under undue tension and thus prevent damage to the towel.

When use of the device is completed, the holding means 25, whether string or elastic, may be readily released and the towel or like clothremoved, the stakes may then be easily removed from the ground and strung on suitable holding means by threading the stakes through theireyes 22.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel, simple and inexpensive means for securing a beach towel or the like in'place and one which may be repeatedly used andconvenie'ntly stored. It will be noted that the knurled surfaces preclude accidental separation of the towel from the head of the stake, but that the elasticity of the member 25 permits release of the cloth under undue tension should forces be applied which might otherwise injure the towel. It will of course be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the exact structural details herein set forth and that numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to in the practiceof the invention withoutdeparture from the spirit or scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A stake for retaining a beach towel or the like in adjusted position, including a thin flat elongate body defining a shank formed with a reduced end tofacilitate insertion in the ground, an opposite end defining a head protruding laterally from one edge of said shank to present an inwardly recessed side wall formed between upper and lower outwardly projecting shoulders, means formed on the opposite edge to retain a flexible securing element, and a flexible resilient securing element retained by said means, said securing element being of such dimensions as to be in tension when'placed over said recessed side wall and when a portion of said beach towel or the like is positioned therebetween 2. A stake for retaining a beach towel or the like in adjusted position, including a thin flat elongate body defining a shank formed with a reduced end to facilitate insertion in the ground, an opposite end defining a head protruding laterally from one edge of said shank to present an inwardly recessed side wall formed between upper and lower outwardly projecting shoulders, means formed on the opposite edge to retain a flexible securing element, and a flexible securing element retained by said means, said flexible securing element comprising a resilient band engageable in the recess of said side wall, said resilient band being of such dimensions as to be under tension when said beach towel or the like is positiond between said side wall and said resilient band is positioned thereover.

3. .A stake for retaining a beach towel or the like in adjusted position, including a thin flat elongate body defining a shank formed with a reduced end to facilitate insertion in the ground, an opposite end defining a head protruding laterally from one edge of said shank to present an inwardly recessed side wall formed between upper and lower'outwardly projecting shoulders, the edge of said body opposite saidrecess defining an inwardly extending slot for the reception of a flexible securing element, and a 'flexible securing element retained in said slot.

4. A stake for retaining a beach towel or the like in adjusted position, including a thin fiat elongate body defining a shank formed with a reduced end to facilitate insertion in the ground, an opposite end defining a head protruding laterally from one edge of said shank to present an'inwardly recessed side wall formed between upper and loweroutwardly projecting shoulders, the 'edge of said body opposite said recess defining an inwardly extending slot for the reception of a flexible securing element, and 'a flexible securing'element retained in said slot, said flexible element comprising an endless resilient band fitted within said slot'to encircle the head and be received in said recess, said band having'projections for engaging said body to preclude displacement of said band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 563,248 Anderson July 7, 1896 1,116,456 Mackrell Nov. 10, 1914 1,235,388 Sherwood July 31, 1917 1,602,305 Helm Oct. 5, 1926 1,959,246 McCullon May 13, 1934 2,164,135 Kaseover June 27, 1939 2,531,867 Wurdinger Nov. 28, 1950 2,618,902 Prescott Nov. 25, 1952 2,647,718 Disera Aug. 4, 1953 2,760,668 Wiederspan et a1 Aug. 28, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,743 Switzerland May 16, 1947 

